While Fremantle Football Club’s birth certificate reads 17 July, 1994, history will look back on September 16, 2011, as the day the Fremantle Dockers arrived as a legitimate force that commanded respect.
The day it appointed Ross Lyon as coach.
It had shown flashes of a club attempting to be bold to make its way in the game. Trading its number one draft pick in 2001 to secure the services of Trent Croad and future All-Australian Luke McPharlin is one example of a club attempting to be bold.
The early years of the Fremantle Football Club are marred by what have since been viewed with the benefit of hindsight as shoddy recruiting. This scribe cannot remember a club who re-drafted so many players after establishing careers over east. Peter Bell. Heath Black. Brad Wira. Adam McPhee. And that was compounded by letting quality players such as Andrew McLeod, Phil Matera, Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas slip through its fingers.
It had taken steps towards legitimacy, with the restructuring of the brand to shed the green and red a masterstroke.
But rarely has a club been so ruthless, in the way it targeted Ross Lyon in early September of 2011. It was a ruthlessness rarely seen down at Fremantle Oval. Members, seemingly conditioned to act shocked and dismayed, threatened to microwave their memberships in staunch support of their fallen adopted son, Mark Harvey. Former coaches and players slammed CEO Steve Rosich and president Steve Harris for the calculated and merciless disposal of the former Essendon champion.
It was a sign of a club finally maturing. It fit the bill of an AFL club that had what it took to make it. Decisions like those are ones that transform a club, and for the Fremantle faithful, it is one that is set to pay dividends. By Round 1, 2012, Fremantle had knocked off the reigning premier with the best coach in the land steering the ship, and the club was on its way.
Purple haze all in my eyes
Don’t know if it’s day or night
You’ve got me blowin, blowin my mind
Is it tomorrow or just the end of time?
– Jimi Hendrix
No matter the position on the ground, if you have the football, looking up or downfield against Fremantle is the equivalent of running into a thick purple mist, one that suffocates the life out of you.
A few teething problems arose, as is wont when a new coach assumes the reins. But those who witnessed the Elimination Final in 2012 soon realised that, if the Dockers can replicate that maniacal pressure for four quarters and 26 weeks, it could be the tonic to deliver a long-awaited premiership to Fremantle Oval.
It is the game plan that makes Lyon the best coach in the land – not only for the plan but what he uses to emulate the plan. Not once did Fremantle have their best side on the park. Their skipper, Matthew Pavlich, missed large chunks of the season with achilles trouble and suspension. Towering ruckman Aaron Sandilands also had his injury woes. But the impact both players had late in the Qualifying Final against Geelong point to their importance.
What Lyon has at his disposal is arguably a better all-round side than what he had during his golden years at St Kilda, because the bottom six players are simply more rounded and more effective. Lee Spurr’s game at Simonds Stadium is a testament to that.
It’s interesting to note that one similarity both the Dockers’ inaugural side and the current team share is that both had two players who had experienced a Grand Final. In 1995, Stephen O’Reilly lined up in a back pocket with the 1994 Grand Final loss to West Coast as a young Geelong backman fresh in his mind, while the side’s skipper, Ben Allan, was not only part of the Hawthorn 1991 premiership, but took home the best and fairest also. I
f the side gets to the big dance, it will look to Zac Dawson (St Kilda 2009, 2010×2) and Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide, 2007) for guidance.
The year 2013 presents Fremantle with its best chance to take home silverware. There is a possibility that they will take on their 2006 nemesis Sydney in a preliminary final, but the vast expanses of Patersons Stadium should prove too much for the beleaguered Swans.
The Dockers’ time is now. There are no ghosts of Grand Finals’ past to haunt them. With ageing stars such as Pavlich, Sandilands and McPharlin in tow, there is every possibility that the Purple Haze will descend on the MCG for the last Saturday in September. They certainly have the game plan, and the cattle, but whether they have the temperament remains to be seen.
But if they do pull it off, tens of thousands of fans adorned in purple will be jubilant. They would rule the state. A lot of water has to pass under the bridge of course, but if the final bell rings with the Dockers in front, they would have the perfect excuse to kiss the the sky.
And for twenty years in the making, no one would begrudge them of that.
bilbo
Guest
I'm liking the style and schmooze of Ross the Boss. Just like a New Orleans bar owner, he's flounced into Freo's purple mist and said "Whadda you got?". For the rd 23 he rested 10 players and said to the AFL public "Whadda you got?". He fronted up at Kardinya Park, said "Whadda you got?" and misted out with more cred than a North Freo indi band. He hello'd a journo with a burning ring of fire, cannoning that mast to the bottom of the harbour. Freo is sensing a change in the wind. The big man for the big occasion. Now compare this to Cats: done them cold. Hawks won '08 due to Cats running out of fit soldiers (Swans this year). Coach Clarkson has hissy-fitted himself through a wall, through a juniors game suspension and fine for abusive threats et all. Is he the big man for the big occasion?
Docker from the Hills
Roar Rookie
Another difference, more so since Pav has returned, is our attacking potential. We can now kick the big scores needed for finals glory.
Docker from the Hills
Roar Rookie
Pretty sure this is Australia (we are talking about AFL aren't we?) and a democracy. He can barrack for whoever he wants and call himself the mayor of Geelong if Ash so desires. Maybe Ash is announcing to the world that just because he lives in Geelong he isn't a sheep and supports the local team because that's the done thing. Might have to remind you that people outside of Geelong are fans of your team.
Connor
Guest
They only person i think should change their name is this person. If they do not follow Geelong, then why do they have Geelong in their name. If this was a news website fair enough, but when its an AFL site, this person says theyre from geelong but they arent a geelong supporter. It is just pointless and stupid
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
Gee you telling people what they can call themselves now Connor? You must really be in a bad place.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
I'd have to say this article revolves around a shallow analysis of Freo. It's based around all the old stereotypes and it could almost have come from the propaganda department of either Steve (Freo's CEO & President).
Connor
Guest
hopefully you get the addy delivered so you get a free box. IF you don't go for geelong, dont say youre from geelong. People will assume you go for geelong. No one cares where you live, they care who you go for. And since thats not geelong, dont put geelong in your name
johno
Guest
A few myths to be exposed - Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas were never available to Fremantle. Just like Jesse Hogan, Jaeger O'Meara, Jack Martin and Brad Crouch were not available to GWS. They were compensatory picks for Essendon. So at no stage did freo go ...hmmmmmmm Lloyd or Delaney, Ridley or Lucas...... So sick of this rubbish being brought up each year. I guess if it repeated often enough people might start believing it
Cat
Roar Guru
Get back to me when Freo actually accomplish something of merit and I don't mean yet another song/guernsey redesign.
Ash of Geelong
Guest
You sound like a very wimpy sooky cats fan, don't worry the Addy is giving away tissues.
Avatar
Roar Guru
It's possible that we might see the Cats and Dockers in the Grand Final. * Fremantle will meet the winner of Saturday night's elimination final tie between Sydney and Carlton. The Swans are severely wounded to the point that Adam Goodes will no longer play again this year, no matter how far they make it, whilst Fremantle also beat Carlton in their only meeting (albeit at Docklands) in Round 19. * Freo will also have the home crowd support as they host their first ever preliminary final at Patersons, and the playing group will also be fully fit after a well-deserved week's rest. * Should Geelong beat Port tonight, then it would face Hawthorn in the preliminary final. Thus, the potential is there for the Kennett curse, which has plagued the Hawks since the 2008 Grand Final, to continue. Hawthorn has not beaten Geelong in the last 11 starts dating back to the first round of the 2009 season. I think Freo would prefer facing Geelong in the Grand Final, as they present a much easier opposition than Hawthorn, but at the same time I want the Cats to continue their odd-year dynasty (flags in 2007, 2009, 2011 and possibly 2013). Even if Freo don't win the flag this year will still show just how far they have come.
Ash of Geelong
Guest
The Hawks would want a premiership this year as Freo may get multiple.
abigail
Guest
I think the difference between Freo and the Saints under Ross Lyon is that the whole Freo side has bought into the Lyon game plan. Some of the Saints players (and most of the Saints supporters) resented playing such a defensive, gut running game. Lyon is a terrific tactical coach and it is amazing what can be achieved when the whole team commits to a game plan. The fanatical support of the Purple Haze doesn't hurt either.
Balthazar
Guest
It was a sad, sad day when they changed the jumper. And the logo has not looked any better with time. But go the Purple. Do it for Pav! BTW Connor, there's not a lot between extremes of emotion. I think your hate is turning to love, you just haven't realised it yet,
Connor
Guest
I find the "purple haze" anything but irresistible, i have always disliked fremantle and the disliked has turned into hate for the last 2 years. There are so many things that i cant stand about this club and i hope i never see Ross Lyon win a premiership. I will be barracking for hawthorn if its a hawks anchors grand final. And i dont see spastic dawson and danyle (worst player to ever win rising star) pearce will help with their experience. Pearce was part of the team that lost by the biggest ever margin and dawson inadvertently cost the saints a flag in 2009. But you know what, i think they are a damn good side. I was happy when geelong played them in a qualifying final and not a prelim
Black Serenade
Guest
i think theyll make the big dance, but will not win it on the first try. hawks will not lose another gf and the cats will get their revenge should they meet again. its the cold hard truth and you know it. but at least they are respected now and that only took until last season!